Onward International, a non-profit NGO, visited Washington D.C. on November 6, 2013. Onward focuses on sustainable development in Latin American and the Caribbean, and is an ECPA Strategic Partner.

Juan Cruz Monticelli, ECPA project manager, spoke with 12 OAS member states and ONWARD about ECPA and its demand and possibilities. Montecelli spoke on various important points regarding sustainable development, such as geothermal energy and solar projects.

“It’s important to promote a dialogue between the private sector, the financial sector, and the government, because there are many projects yet to be done,” commented Monticelli.

Montecelli commented as well on the need and potential of geothermal energy, and he responded to various questions regarding the advancement of sustainable development in the Americas.

Onward’s visit included a tour of the Art Museum of the America, and they also were given a general presentation about the OAS. The department of Public Management gave a specialized presentation about Effective Public Management.

As an organization, Onward goals are to:

• Promote the exchange of successful experiences of sustainable development
• Empower local authorities, public development managers, private and non private organization, in technological topics regarding local development, as well as in design, elaboration, execution, management, and the search for financing development projects
• Promote academic research and application of results in development practices
• Forming strategic alliances, and public-private partnerships that enable the viability of local development projects in Latin America and the Caribbean